Explanations

Here, belatedly, is an explanation of the pictures below that got no captions.  Starting from the first one with no caption:

1)  On Christmas afternoon/evening we had an assortment of people over and did fun Christmas activities.  There was a hilarious re-enactment of the Christmas story, carol singing, and then nativity scene building.  We split into four groups and each group got a different medium:  play-do, Lego, Wikki-stix, or Tinker-toys.  This is the Wikki-stix group.  They were all quite fun, I thought.

2) On Boxing Day we went to Grandpa Grabers for the day.  The kids all got pillowcases from Auntie Sandra.

3 & 4) Josiah’s birthday.  He wanted whoopie pies for his cake.  Sounds good to me!  For his party we took our kids and three extra boys to the pool for awhile, then came back here for “cake” and presents.  In the evening Grandpas and Auntie Heather came for supper.

5)  One day during the holidays we had a fun and chaotic gingerbread house-making party.  Whew!

6) The flu galloped through our household.  One night three of the kids and I all had it. This is the scene where Keith camped out on the floor with the kids while I took care of my sorry self in the bathroom.  So glad that doesn’t happen often!!

7 & 8) Hannah’s birthday.  Like her dress?  I think it’s sooooo wonderful and I could hardly get her to wear it last summer.  (She’s too independent with her clothing choices!)  So on her birthday she randomly decided to wear it.  I acted like I didn’t really care so she wouldn’t change her mind.   For her party we had some kids over in the morning.  Keith played games with them while Wendy and I drank coffee.  We had Grandpas and Auntie Heather over the next evening for pizza.

9) A stack of kids.

10) My Grandma Slaubaugh passed away in January.  She was 94 and ready to go.  The funeral was in Florida and the burial/memorial in N. Dakota.  Keith couldn’t get off work, so I took Caleb and Logan with me, picked up my brother Matthew in Winnipeg, and drove down.  It was good to be there, but a very fast trip.  This picture is Caleb and Logan beside my Dad’s grave, which is right beside Grandpa and, now, Grandma.

11)  My cousins and their kids who were there.  My joke of the day was, “Okay, all the tall people in the back!” This is the Slaubaugh family.  There are no tall people!  Except Matthew, who must have Bontrager genes.

12) This quilt was in the church basement in ND.  It was so pretty I had to take a picture.  It almost makes me want to change the colour scheme in our bedroom.  Almost.